School, homeroom teacher's office.
I stood before Ms. Zheng, head bowed, my hands nervously clutching the hem of my school uniform. A suffocating silence filled the office.
"Xiaowei..." Ms. Zheng finally spoke, her slightly plump figure creaking in her chair. Her tone was a mixture of reproach and helplessness. "How could you hit someone in the classroom? You're usually such a well-behaved child; this is completely unlike your usual behavior."
I remained silent, unsure how to explain.
I couldn't very well say that Wang Xiong had shown off photos of Xia Ling in stockings in class and insulted Aunt Shang Yan with vulgar language, could I?
Speaking of that would only embarrass Xia Ling further. Besides, I knew Wang Xiong's father had close ties with the principal, and Wang Xiong had skipped school to work as an intern at Xia Ling's company without any complaints from the homeroom teacher; she was definitely on Wang Xiong's side.
"Xiaowei, Wang Xiong is still in the infirmary. His father called, and he's very agitated." Teacher Zheng sighed, took off her glasses, and rubbed her nose. "You're the son of the president of Lingya Group. Your every action represents your family's image. If this isn't handled well, the consequences could be severe."
My heart tightened.
Yes, Xia Ling is always so image-conscious. As the female president of Lingya Group, she always maintains a noble and elegant demeanor in front of outsiders. But I, because of a moment of impulsiveness, might bring her unforeseen trouble.
"Go back to the classroom first. I'll talk to your mother about this."
Teacher Zheng waved her hand, indicating I could leave.
Since Wang Xiong went to the infirmary this morning, he hadn't reappeared until the afternoon.
The atmosphere in the classroom was eerily suffocating. His seat was empty, like a silent warning.
My classmates kept giving me strange looks. Some whispered, others covered their mouths and snickered. I knew they were all talking about me—not only had Xia Ling been casually insulted and defiled by Wang Xiong, but I'd also fallen for his tricks with a mere spur of the moment. The son of the dignified CEO of Lingya, he'd actually hit someone just because he couldn't stand hearing people talk about Xia Ling.
Cobra and Fatty sat in the back row, their laughter nauseating. I could feel the whole class was laughing at me. But now, I no longer had the courage I had that morning. Every minute in the classroom felt like torture. My heart was constantly in my throat; I didn't know where Wang Xiong had gone.
Was he back at Xia Ling's company continuing his internship?
Or was he plotting some even more terrible revenge?
…
On my way home from school that afternoon, the setting sun cast a long shadow. When I reached the school gate, the driver who was supposed to pick me up was already waiting there, as always.
Back at our villa, as soon as I entered the living room, I saw Xia Ling.
She reclined on the Italian leather sofa in the living room, her posture elegant yet tinged with weariness.
She was still wearing the black suit she'd worn that morning, the trousers still encased in black pantyhose, the stockings hugging her long, shapely legs. Her small feet, clad in slippers, revealed the graceful curve of her ankles.
But what pained me most was Xia Ling's expression—her usual gentle smile was gone, replaced by deep worry. Even her carefully applied makeup couldn't conceal the weariness in her eyes.
"Come sit down," Xia Ling said softly, her voice trembling with a hint of anger I'd never heard before.
I went over and sat down on the other sofa. The leather was soft, but it couldn't bear the heavy atmosphere. The faint, mature fragrance of Xia Ling lingered in the air—a scent that used to comfort me, even captivate me, but now filled me with unease.
"Why did you hit Wang Xiong?"
Mom looked directly into my eyes. I saw her eyes were red, clearly from crying.
"Mom, it's not my fault. Wang Xiong is such a bully. He spreads rumors about you in class every day, and today he went even further. Not only you, but even Aunt Shang Yan..."
I lowered my head and recounted what had happened that morning, albeit haltingly. Of course, I didn't mention the unspeakable details, only that Wang Xiong had said many nasty things in class, insulting Mom and Aunt Shang Yan.
Mom's eyes flashed with anger: "So you hit him?"
"Mom, I..." I opened my mouth, finally admitting, "Yes."
"You..." Mom's voice suddenly rose, trembling slightly, "Do you know what the consequences of that punch will be?"
I had never seen Mom so agitated.
She rose from the sofa, her beautiful feet in black stockings and slippers pacing back and forth in the living room. Her footsteps made a soft sound on the imported wool carpet, her elegant figure now appearing so helpless.
"I am the president of Lingya Group, and you are my son! You hit a classmate at school, do you think this will be so simple?" Xia Ling's voice was laced with tearing pain. "The company's new product launch is this weekend, and our competitors are eyeing us closely. I'm already under enough pressure. Do you know how much this will affect my company?"
Watching Xia Ling's carefully applied makeup blur with tears, my heart ached just as much.
Recalling the grievances and pressure Xia Ling had endured recently—being humiliated by Wang Xiong in the restaurant, having her stockings and underwear torn in the underground parking lot, kneeling before him in the office to perform oral sex, sitting on that desk she was so proud of and rubbing her beautiful feet against his penis…
Everything Xia Ling did was to protect the company, to protect this family, and I, in a moment of impulsiveness, destroyed all her efforts. "I'm sorry… Mom…"
I choked out, unsure how to make amends for my mistake.